A CO survey of regions around 34 open clusters

Results are presented from a systematic search for CO emission from regions around 34 young open clusters in the outer Galaxy. The clusters have well-determined distances ranging from about 1 to 5 kpc and ages not greater than about 100 Myr. It was found that some moderately young clusters have no associated CO emission. All the surveyed clusters younger than about 5 Myr have associated with them at least one molecular cloud more massive than 10,000 solar mass, while the molecular clouds associated with clusters older than about 10 Myr are not more massive than a few thousands solar masses. It was also found that molecular clouds are receding from young clusters at a rate of about 10 km/sec, and that they seem to be destroyed by their interaction with the stars. Sites of ongoing star formation were identified in a number of clouds associated with young clusters.